Free, Accessible COVID-19 Community Testing and Vaccination
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children has offered community COVID-19 testing in its Apple Pavilion on the main hospital campus since December 2020. During that time, thousands of children, adults, and families from underserved communities—who face significant issues of health inequity and lack of access to quality healthcare—have been provided free COVID testing. The site is now expanding its services to allow for the testing of more than 300 children and adults each day.
Through partnerships with two local pharmacies, St. Christopher's also offers free COVID-19 vaccinations to children ages 5 and older and adults, and partners with local schools to offer vaccination clinics for students and staff in those facilities. St. Christopher's physicians have also served as expert panelists in Zoom "town hall meetings" hosted by schools for parents and guardians, to explain the safety, effectiveness, and importance of COVID vaccinations for their children.
Distribution of Free Meals to Families in Need
On a weekly basis since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children and its medical residents from Drexel University College of Medicine have been distributing meals, free of charge, to families in need from the communities served by the hospital. To date, more than 70,000 meals have been distributed to families by the residents.
As the hospital is located adjacent to many of the lowest-income neighborhoods in the United States, many of those families too often must make a choice between paying bills (such as rent and heat) or buying food. The free meals program has made a significant impact in the quality of life and the well-being of many children and their families.